[smartmontools-support] smartctl questions (newbie)

[Michael]

OS: MX Linux 19.4
USB external HDD: Silicon Power 1TB HDD (reported as ST1000LM024
HN-M101MBB, size: 931.51 GiB, block size: physical: 512 B logical: 512
B, rotation: 5400 rpm in Quick System Info in MX).
problem: GSmartControl utility can't recognize the HDD, checked the
drivedb.h file in /var/lib/smartmontools/drivedb/drivedb.h and there's
no entry for ST1000LM024.
In [smartmontools][1] site, in the FAQ, there's instructions to add
missing drive to the db (My ATA/SATA drive is not in the smartctl/smartd
database), followed the instructions to run a short test |smartctl -t
short /dev/sdb|, here's the output:

|$ smartctl -t short /dev/sdb smartctl 7.2 2020-12-30 r5155
[x86_64-linux-4.19.0-16-amd64] (local build) Copyright (C) 2002-20,
Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org Smartctl open
device: /dev/sdb [SAT] failed: Permission denied |

thought maybe needed to use sudo, and the output was:

|$ sudo smartctl -t short /dev/sdb smartctl 7.2 2020-12-30 r5155
[x86_64-linux-4.19.0-16-amd64] (local build) Copyright (C) 2002-20,
Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org Read Device
Identity failed: scsi error unsupported scsi opcode A mandatory SMART
command failed: exiting. To continue, add one or more '-T permissive'
options. |

Am I missing something? Why the test showed access denied in my external
drive? I'm not that familiar with Linux, so thought it better to ask
before doing something stupid. Can someone guide me in the right
direction, please?
[1]: https://www.smartmontools.org/wiki/FAQ#MyATASATAdriveisnotinthesmartctlsmartddatabase